PALATINE, Ill. – When operating at their peak level, the Harper College men's basketball team's offense is a joy to watch.  At times, the Hawks employ four guards and a forward, and the team plays at breakneck speeds, constantly looking to push the ball and outrun teams.  And the leader of that attack is point guard Connor Miklasz (Mount Prospect, Ill., Hersey).
 
“We're mostly guards, so we shoot a lot of threes,” Miklasz said.  “We like to shoot the three.  It's fun when we start running the break.  We push it when it's there obviously and hopefully get a good shoot when it's not there.  That's the style that I like playing the most.”
 
The style fits Miklasz well.  Going into Saturday's game at Wright College, the sophomore was averaging 6.6 assists per game, good for 12^th nationally in Div. III.  And combined with his 11.6 points per game, Miklasz is a load to handle for opposing defenses.  Miklasz's production has earned him the honor of being Harper College's 14^th Athlete of the Week for the 2012-13 school year.
 
“He's our guy with the ball,” said head coach Anthony Amarino.  “He pushes the ball better than anyone in the region.  If you don't get back on defense, he's usually finding someone down there.  He's a player.”
 
Harper (10-15) uses a combination of Miklasz, Garett Gatz (Elk Grove Village, Ill., Conant), Tyler Gaedele (Arlington Heights, Ill., Rolling Meadows), Michael Rose (Rolling Meadows, Ill., Rolling Meadows), John Lorenz (Elk Grove, Ill., Elk Grove), Charles Wright (Cheyenne, Wyo., Cheyenne East), Kyoshiro Azumaya (Schaumburg, Ill., Hoffman Estates ) and Eric Porter (Arlington Heights, Ill., Lake Zurich) on the floor.  Of the bunch, only Porter doesn't play on the perimeter.  And it's Miklasz's responsibility to set up Gatz (13.7 ppg), Rose (12.6 ppg), Gaedele (12.1 ppg) and Lorenz (8.4 ppg) on the wing for three-point opportunities.
 
In his last three games, Miklasz is averaging 11.7 points per game and 9.7 assists, and the Hawks have won two of their last three games.  Miklasz was at his best in the 84-61 win over Rock Valley last Wednesday.  Ahead by five points late in the first half, Miklasz was at the forefront of a 24-4 run that blew the game wide open, scoring 12 points and dishing out two assists in a seven minute span.
 
“When we're playing our game, I don't think there's anyone that we can't beat,” Miklasz said.  “I don't see why we can't win the region.  Now, we're trying to get the best seed that we can going into the playoffs.  (And) wherever we play, it doesn't matter.  But obviously it would give us a little bit of an advantage to be playing at home.”
 
Though Miklasz is only listed at 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Amarino says that he is physically ready to play at a four-year school.
 
“He's quicker than you think,” Amarino said.  “He's ready for the next level as far as strength-wise.  He's probably the strongest kid on the team.  He's a bull.  He's fierce.  He can guard three-quarter court and can pick someone up.”
 
But there is one condition to Miklasz continuing his career.
 
“If it's a four-year school that I can afford,” Miklasz said.  “I pay for my college, so it has to be somewhere where I can afford.  I'm not really worried about that right now, just trying to finish out the season.  I'll see where I'm at after that.”